What's New?!

"Voice" in artwork........What the hell is that?!  Well, I'm not Webster's, but my take on "voice" is the aesthetic or elements in YOUR artwork that speaks to who or what you are.  "Voice" is your fingerprint! Your personality!  Your influences!  Your style!  Your taste!  Your life experiences!  And, "voice" is how it all shows through your work and specifically speaks to you - the Artist of the particular piece of artwork.  The "voice" in your work should be completely and thoroughly individual to you.  People should see your work and immediately identify it as being your 's.  HA!  Fat chance of that! 

Finding your "voice" would seem to be a natural and organic part of everything you do......IT'S SO NOT!  In fact, my "voice" in my work has been incredibly hard for me to find.  I'm not entirely sure why.  I think I have gotten caught up in what I like about other peoples' work (and there is so much incredibly amazing work out in the world) that I haven't spent enough time discovering what I love about MY work.  NO MORE!

I want to show you a bit about what I love!  My hope is that if I focus on those "bits" of me, maybe I'll be more aware of them the next time I sit down to create something.  So, here goes! 

I love the feeling of warm sand on my feet, the smell of the ocean, the feeling of the cool breeze sifting through my hair and against my skin; the feeling of the warm sun on my face. I believe I love these feelings because those times I spent close to the Ocean just might of have been the healthiest times of my life.  I might be associating "feeling good" with the Ocean.     (I wish those were my toes in the sand!)





I identify readily with the beauty of the Ocean and its daily landscapes, its rhythms are contemplative and relaxing.  There's nothing better in the world if you're upset, than walking on the beach.  Some of my favorite colors are associated the the Ocean.  I mean, look at that sunset!  My favorite color is mauve......but WOW.......how many colors of purple can you pick out in that picture?!!!  Amazing.  




I challenged myself to learn to scuba dive when I was in my 20's.  Lots of people do it as a sport, right?  Me?  I decided to learn because I carried so many "fears" inside. They were crippling me!  And, I determined I was tired of being fearful; I had a plan!  My plan was to DO the things I thought I couldn't do. To conquer them.  One of them was Scuba!




Scuba opened up a world of landscape, of colors and shapes I didn't even know existed!  It is so beautiful underneath the water. Empowering! I think Scuba, and Kung Fu (yes, I learned that too), opened me up to parts of myself  I'd buried. I discovered I am strong, and can be determined.  When I follow through on something, the outcome can be surprising and amazing.  I learned I am truly loving and very maternal.  Isn't discovering oneself part of the artistic process?  I think so.

I am also inspired by other artists.  (Like, who isn't?!) My favorites are the French Impressionist's.  De Gas and Monet being the ABSOLUTE TOP.  To the right:  the Four Dancers by Edgar De Gas.  It's the color, movement, and light. I Love it!




This is Monet's Woman with Umbrella.  Look at how he captures form with light and movement.  Wow. 



          Monet's Water Lilies.  Sumptuous.





De Gas' Woman Drying after Bath.  Lovely use of light for form.  And moving on...

Frieda Kahlo!!! Need I say more? My "determined strong woman" influence.  Her story is incredible.  Briefly, She was a Mexican surrealist and communist during the 40's, 50's.  A beautiful, strong woman, who survived a horrific bus crash, and was never able to have children. She married to Muralist Diego Rivera. 

 

Some of my "iconic" influences are: paisley and flowers.  I am, at my core, an earth mother.  I love to plant and garden.  I believe in herbal remedies, and that the earth will provide. 







I love Stargazer's!  Their color, shape, smell!  What more is there in life? 








 That's parts of me in a nutshell, I guess.  Here's some of my recent work.  I think you can start to see, my "voice" peaking through.  Can you?  I'm trying.  But, tell me what you think.  I am interested in knowing good or bad. 

It may be simplistic or idealistic...I think of it as puristic...but, I truly believe that you are not a real artist and don't embody the essence of what creating and being an artist is until you put yourself out there, into the world, and let others view your work.   So here I am world, pick away!

Dragonflies - the symbol of rebirth, renewal, metamorphosis, profound change.  Something you will see again and again in my work.

I stick with wirework for the most part.  I enjoy wirework because how sculptural it can be.  I do a lot of jewelry still, but am starting to pick up felting, sketching, painting, and pastels again.    I love creating exactly what is in my mind with wire: flowers, bugs, symbols, etc.




Wet felted flowers.  I do a lot of flowers.  Wire flower pendants, drawn flowers, painted flowers, felt flowers.  One can never have enough flowers.


 

Oh look, dragonflies again.  Hmmm, seems to be a trend here.

You can go to my website: Dragonfly Beads, and see a lot of my work.  I do a lot of pieces I donate to or do specifically for charity that are like "object's d'art".  I love painting murals! You'll see some of those on my website too, and you'll see a lot of my jewelry.